


Champions & Challenges

by Yuachii



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Alola-chihou | Alola Region (Pokemon), Ash has aura, F/M, Gen, M/M, PE but make it fun, Pokemon League, Pokemon School, Politics, Research, Slice of Life, Sort Of, Wholesome, and a bunch of other random game and anime charas too, ash learns responsibility, basically the whole cast of sun & moon will make appearances, but he also has trauma and idk i think that's more important here, gonna try to stay regular on updates but lmao, i don't understand politics but neither does ash so it works, minimal romance, they're teenagers at most i'm not making them do weird shit yall nasty
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:00:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29890458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yuachii/pseuds/Yuachii
Summary: Champions have responsibilities to their regions.  Ash is about to discover what he means to Alola - and what that means for him.All eyes are on Alola in the aftermath of their first official League Championships, and trainers are flocking there to take on the Grand Trial!  The Pokemon School, too, has received significant international interest, and new students are applying in droves - especially when the news breaks that the new Champion studied there over the past year.  This year will be different as the school adapts to the challenges of a much larger student body and a worldwide reputation.  Meanwhile, Ash Ketchum’s plans of a new journey are dashed like waves upon the Alolan shores as he learns to navigate his new role as a League Representative and Champion. Alola, world - there’s so much that this region still has to offer.
Relationships: Lilie | Lillie/Mao | Mallow/Suiren | Lana, Satoshi | Ash Ketchum & Satoshi no Pikachu | Ash Ketchum's Pikachu, Satoshi | Ash Ketchum/Serena
Comments: 10
Kudos: 18





	Champions & Challenges

Melemele Beach was quiet. It was a few weeks until tourist season really began, and it was late besides; the sun was just disappearing over the horizon, turning the waves to an inky black and casting the last of its red-orange light over the sand. In the quiet of the night, a lone teenage boy lay against a palm tree, arms behind his head as he stared out over the ocean.

“I’ll tell them tomorrow.”

“Pikapi?” Pikachu’s voice was drowsy from his lap; his partner had dozed off long ago, lulled by the warm night air and the rhythmic lapping of the waves. His long, flat tail twitched, and he tilted his head back.

Ash smiled indulgently, scratching under Pikachu’s chin and earning a happy chaaa from the little mouse. “At school tomorrow, I’m gonna tell everyone that we’re leaving. No more regrets and all that, right buddy?” Pikachu pushed his head under his hand with an agreeable sort of noise, and Ash laughed as he obligingly rubbed at the base of his partner’s ears, the sound carrying over the rushing of the waves. “Can’t believe our adventure here’s almost over! We’ve met so many new friends…” 

His voice trailed off, hand dropping to his side. They’d lost some of those friends already, and soon… Ash sighed. “I guess I just can’t believe it’s almost over.”

Pikachu shook himself awake at that and clambered up to Ash’s shoulder, still a bit unsteady from sleep. “Chu-pika?”

“It’s nothing, just…” Ash frowned, staring out at the sea. “I’m going to miss this place. It’s been a long time since I stayed in one place for so long, you know? Since before we even met. I guess I kinda forgot what it felt like to have someplace to come back to every day.” 

“Pikapi…” 

He stewed for a moment more, then shook himself, hard, his hat askew when he straightened up. “It’s no big deal! Just different, and we’re good with different, right buddy?” He grinned, wide and lopsided and just a little bit strained, and Pikachu pressed a little closer to him, ears perking up.

“Pi pika! Pikachu!” 

“Yeah!” Ash stood, his smile growing a little more natural. There they stood for a moment longer, looking out at the Alolan sea and sky, before Ash turned away. “Not quite time to say goodbye yet, anyway. Right, Rotom?”

RotomDex beeped, floating back over from where it had been taking photos. “Indeed! You have 19 hours, and 56 minutes until the Pokemon School lets out for the summer. You should be home by now! You have--” it beeped rapidly, “--34 minutes to get home so that you can eat dinner and go to sleep at a reasonable hour!” 

“Okay, okay,” Ash laughed, hoisting his backpack over his shoulders. “Let’s get going, I’m starved!”

“Then you should’ve gone home earlier!”

Rotom’s frustrated scolding mixed with Ash’s laughter as he raced back home. 

Home. He hated to admit it, even to himself, but he would miss having one of those when they were back on the road. 

\------------------------------------------------

“Ash, that you? Wash your hands, dinner’s almost ready.”

“Thanks, Professor!” Ash hurried to do so, carefully dropping his bag on the couch as he went so as not to disturb the sleeping Rowlet inside. When he came back to the living room, Professor Burnet was setting the table, Pikachu had already swiped the ketchup bottle, and the rest of the Pokemon were gathering around their food bowls. “Two squirts only,” he called over his shoulder to Pikachu, who pouted, but put the bottle back once his Pokemon food was sufficiently covered (at least by his Trainer’s standards). Once everyone was situated around the table and digging in, Kukui spoke, grinning.

“So Ash, how was your day at school?” 

“You know how it went, you were there,” Ash laughed. This exchange was a long-standing tradition at the Professor’s house.

“But I want to hear your thoughts on it! Plus, Burnet hasn’t heard about it--”

“Why don’t you tell her?”

“Because we want to hear your thoughts!” The two professors recited in unison, then broke down laughing. 

Ash groaned playfully and took an enormous bite, deliberately slurping the noodles up slowly as he thought over the day. “Well, Lillie told everyone that she’s leaving Alola for a while, and everyone has such cool plans for the summer!” He gestured widely, narrowly avoiding jabbing Incineroar with his fork, and sent the large Fire-type an apologetic look as he set it down. “I mean, Lillie’s looking for her dad, and Kiawe’s gonna do some special training with Olivia, and Lana’s looking for Manaphy, and everyone just seems so excited!” 

“The others all sound like just summer activities, but did Lillie say when she’ll be back?”

Ash shrugged. “Doesn’t sound like she knows herself - hopefully it doesn’t take too long! Everyone’ll miss her if she’s not back when school starts back up.”

“Speaking of things that might take a while…” Kukui grimaced, looking at him a bit apologetically. “You got some mail from the League today. Make sure to check it after dinner - I left it up in the loft. It looked important, so make sure you deal with that tonight or tomorrow, okay?”

“The League? You mean like the Pokemon League?” Ash blinked, then looked up at the loft. “Why would they be sending me mail?”

Kukui snorted. “Looked like paperwork to me. Probably something about your Champion duties - I know it’s boring, but the government is only efficient when they’re nagging you to do something for them, so get it out of the way as soon as you can.”

“Champion duties?”

The Professors exchanged a glance. “Ah, yeah - nothing too terribly difficult, especially compared to what you’ve already been doing with the Ultra Guardians, but important nonetheless. Since you’re our first Champion, they’ll probably have you doing a fair bit of PR for the region. Interviews and such, maybe a few exhibition battles - the world will want to see how Alola measures up to the rest of the world and all that. It’s a pretty big deal for a new region to officially join the League, so they’ll want to make the most of it”

“.....What?”

“Don’t worry too much,” Burnet reassured him. “Since the region has never had an official League Champion, we can push the date back for you actually getting started - I know you were thinking of heading back to Kanto for a while, and I’m sure your mother misses having you home.”

Kukui nodded. “We’re responsible for you while you’re here, so we have a little bit of legal power to negotiate on your behalf. We can handle the League - they can wait until school is back in session if you want to go spend time back in Pallet Town or travel for a bit.” The professors smiled at him, but it did little to loosen the knot of confusion that had curled in his gut.

“I’m...gonna go read that letter.” Ash stood, and with a sharp jerk of his head, Pikachu scrambled up the ladder ahead of him. Returning the other Pokemon to their Poke Balls, Ash headed up to the loft, not knowing just how much the formal-looking manila envelope that waited there would change his life.

**Author's Note:**

> Does anyone else find it ridiculous that Ash became an official League Champion and then just left the region and went on to kind of just do nothing? No? Just me? Alright then. 
> 
> Some quick notes for this (very short) first chapter!
> 
> \- The Pokemon School now offers 12 official classes, plus a special independent study course for the more research-minded. I have planned out the teachers (who are all technically canon characters from either the games or the anime) for each course and made a schedule for the students and teachers (and holy hell, I do not envy my school’s counselors their job - planning for 18 students was hard enough, never mind THOUSANDS).
> 
> \- For that independent study course, yes I’ve come up with three separate Pokemon-themed independent study topics.  
> I currently don’t have any OCs directly planned, but there will presumably end up being random made up trainers thrown in at some point for variety. Assume there are some other students in each class doing their own thing while Plot is happening.
> 
> \- I am...not a Goh fan. I think he could’ve been an awesome character if presented as a rival with clashing ideologies, like a nicer version of Paul, but Ash continuously not commenting on how messed up his mindset on Pokemon is drives me INSANE. I will try my hardest not to bash, but he will need to get a faceful of reality at some point in this story because that “I’m just gonna catch them and not bond with them at all! :)” attitude will not fly in Alola. If you’re a diehard Goh fan, you may want to turn back.
> 
> \- No beta, no planning, i’m just here living my best life. This fic should be taken with all the seriousness of the actual show. :)
> 
> I have officially done more planning for this fic than I’ve ever done for any piece of writing so I had to actually WRITE this one. Amazing. Go me. Anyway, no real update schedule as I’m a teacher and have planning, grading, and uh actual teaching I’m supposed to be spending my time on. Regardless, I hope you enjoy the ride with me!


End file.
